The front of Danielle Van Hyfte's house displaying white ribbons and a sign in support of health care workers. (Danielle Van Hyfte)

By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

white ribbons to show support

Red Deerians encouraged to show support for health care workers

Sep 16, 2021 | 9:02 AM

A local Red Deer resident wants to let our frontline workers and first responders know the community is still behind them.

Danielle Van Hyfte and her friend Mandy Wright had the idea to hang white ribbons from their front porches and decorate their windows to show their support. Wright’s husband is a first responder.

Early on in the pandemic there were almost nightly displays of support for healthcare workers across the world, as citizens banged pots and pans, cheered, and lead rounds of applause during hospital shift changes.

Lately though there appears to be less of those and more protests against public health restrictions in front of health care facilities, as well as abuse and harassment being directed towards health care workers via social media.

Van Hyfte says she knows a few ICU nurses in Red Deer, and they’ve been mostly silent on social media throughout the pandemic while respecting the choices and posts other people were making.

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However, the fourth wave of COVID, protests, and social media vitriol is starting to take its toll on them.

“In the last couple of weeks I’ve seen these nurses who are usually as strong as nails just go from that to really reaching out and pleading with the community to help them because they are drowning.”

Rather than simply liking or sharing their posts, Van Hyfte decided to reach back out to them to show they are not alone, and they have the support of the community.

She said social media can also make health care workers the target of complex health questions, especially if their profiles are public. This adds another layer of stress and exhaustion which can continue on even after they are done their shift.

“They’re exhausted. They don’t want to have conflict. They don’t want to have to explain what’s happening, and they shouldn’t have to. But I think it’s getting to a critical point where our government isn’t stepping in to do their jobs and now they’re (health care workers) kind of forced to do both jobs, and really tell what’s happening in our ICU’s and hospitals. It’s not fair.”

She said you can show your support by placing white ribbons around the outside of your house, on your car, or even on your person.

She also started the Facebook group ‘Community love for our Red Deer Healthcare Workers’ with more information.